Celebrating Diversity

This week is National Diversity Awareness Week and my company is celebrating. Tables are set up where employees can talk about their home countries (or their religion) and demonstrate arts and crafts, cooking, or whatever they like. It's always fun to go and check out the displays and talk to people about where they come from.

On Tuesday I stopped by the Korea/Japan display to talk to a friend who was staffing the table, and she got me to try calligraphy (see picture, left). The figure means "spring," and I picked it because it had the fewest brush strokes of all the examples they had on display. My attempt is the one on top; the one below was done by my friend, who is Korean, after I had finished. It's an interesting art form -- of course the brush strokes have to be done in a certain order and the brush has to be held just so.

I also heard traditional Puerto Rican music and sampled some Indian snacks. There was a display about Islam, too, and lots of people were gathered there asking questions. I figure that can only help.

It was also interesting to see my colleagues dressed in the traditional garb of their native lands. They have such pretty clothes, especially the Indian women. I love those bright colors and long, flowing saris. And all that beautiful gold jewelry.